Wet sanding is a process useful in abrading and removing surface defects and smoothing a variety of surfaces in preparation for finishing with a sealing and/or a protective finish, such as paint. Wet sanding is commonly used following automobile body repairs to smooth and prepare the automobile body for refinishing and repainting. Wet surface treatment prevents loading or clogging of the abrasive article, reduces heat build-up, and can even impart a particular attribute of the fluid used onto the surface being treated.
Typical wet sanding practices include using an abrasive disc with a special tool that delivers a continuous amount of fluid to the abrasive disc. Alternatively, the fluid is sprayed onto a work surface, such as an automotive panel or solid surface work table. In both approaches, fluid must steadily be resupplied to the area of being abraded. What is needed is an abrasive product that is suitable for wet sanding processes that requires little to no resupply of fluid throughout the abrading process.